BET Awards 2025: Jamie Foxx’s Greatest Performances Across Film, TV, and Music
There are entertainers, and then there’s Jamie Foxx. Born Eric Marlon Bishop, Foxx has spent the last three decades refusing to be boxed in, moving between music, television, stand-up, and film with a kind of ease that feels both casual and cosmic. It’s only fitting that in 2025, the BET Awards honored him with the Ultimate Icon Award—a long-overdue recognition of a career built on reinvention, brilliance, and Black excellence.
Foxx’s rise from small-town Texas kid to global megastar wasn’t instant, but it was relentless. He carved his path through The Comedy Store in L.A., survived the pressures of In Living Color, and redefined what it meant to be a comedic actor with dramatic chops. Whether making us laugh, cry, or drop our jaws in musical awe, Jamie never delivers anything halfway.
Let’s break down some of his most iconic performances across every medium:
Ray (2004)
The role that changed everything. His Oscar-winning portrayal of Ray Charles was more than mimicry—it was possession. Jamie embodied Ray’s pain, genius, addiction, and legacy so deeply, people forgot they weren’t watching the real man.
Unpredictable (2005, Album)
Coming off his Ray success, Foxx reminded us he wasn’t new to music. With hits like “Blame It” and “DJ Play a Love Song,” he delivered a platinum-certified R&B project that made it clear: he’s not an actor who sings, he’s an artist. Period.
The Jamie Foxx Show (1996–2001)
Before the movies and awards, he made his mark on TV. His comedic timing, musical performances, and Black love storyline with Fancy became a millennial sitcom classic.
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Collateral (2004)
In the same year as Ray, Foxx proved he could hold his own opposite Tom Cruise in a tense, slow-burning thriller. His role as Max, a reluctant cab driver thrust into a night of chaos, earned him another Oscar nom.
Gold Digger (2005)
That “She take my money!” hook lives rent-free in pop culture. His collaboration with Kanye West became one of the biggest hits of the 2000s—and another reminder of how easily Foxx can switch lanes and dominate.
And we’re just getting started. As we count down to BET Awards 2025, one thing’s clear: Jaime Foxx isn’t just a talent—he’s a force.